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I’ve called myself a small “l” libertarian, to distinguish myself from the Ron Paul crowd. Richard A. Epstein has given me an even better name for my political view, one that recognizes the need for government, but that always hews to individual and marketplace freedom: I’m a “classical liberal.”

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I agree with Epstein, but, he was wrong in going after Rand Paul. In politics, you need to push a more stringent version so that you can compromise. If you push classic liberal, you end up compromising somewhere left of that. On the other hand, push libertarian then you can compromise to classic liberal.

Look at all the past progress toward away from progressivism. A bit of regulation is cut, but in a decade it is back with a vengeance. Fight for scorched earth libertarianism, then the compromise is not less but real minimum regulation.

I am most comfortable identifying as a classic liberal, but let’s face it – few anymore in the USA know what that is. They just know “liberal” and those “liberals” are often anything but. An American friend who has moved off to Canada said that she was very puzzled that “liberal” in Canada meant more what Republican means here. I said, that actually the Canadians and the Europeans have it right, that’s the original meaning of liberal. The concept of economic liberty is essential here, to the original meaning of liberal. That’s one that got tossed out awhile back. Which makes it harder to find the right terms for oneself, and to argue with so-called “liberals” who often are minor totalitarians at heart. Seeking to expand the reach of government and to parse and censor language use to ridiculous lengths, getting rid of “crazy” (I heard a crazy question) because it is abelist (yes really), “lame” — also abelist even if used California style as in “that’s lame!” and so on. That’s not liberal, that’s just — ahem, crazy! Or the seething writhing of a petty dictatorship on the rise – save us! Any way… Bookworm I also say I am a “libertarian with a small L”, and that works better. They like the “small L” though they still give me dirty looks. I mean, the other “liberals” who are really “progressives” who are often really “communists with a small c” or – something to that effect.